Sunny weather boosts West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition

Jeffrey Saulton

Reporter

jsaulton@newsandsentinel.com

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
A new feature at the carnival at the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition has people trying to make their way in large plastic bubbles floating on water.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
Looking over scrapbooks in the CEOS exhibition area of the 46th annual West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition on Wednesday are Lilly Barker, Addison Garrett, Chelsea Evans and Brynton Barker.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
The Inferno was among the rides on the carnival at the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
Austin Reeves, left, tosses a football to Zach Parsons, right, in front of the West Virginia National Guard exhibit at the 46th annual West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
A new feature at the carnival at the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition has people trying to make their way in large plastic bubbles floating on water.

MINERAL WELLS — If the next three days of the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition are like the first two, organizers say it will be a good year for the fair, in its 46th year.

Russ Collins, vice president of the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition board, said the weather has been in the right spot between “temperatures in the 90s and pouring rain.”

“Last year it started out great and then those last two days of rain killed us,” he said Wednesday. “If we can keep this up, low heat and humidity, it will be a great year.”

Collins said there have been a few changes made for the 2018 edition.

“We have a smaller carnival and we brought back the demolition derby,” he said. “We have the ATV mud bogs on one track and the derby on the other.”

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
The Inferno was among the rides on the carnival at the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition.

Collins said the demolition derby has been a feature of the fair for several years.

Another new feature was Prestige Karaoke on the main stage in place of a band and lead performer,

“We’re going to let the people who come to the fair be the entertainment for the fair,” Collins said.

Tammy Bixman, of Parkersburg, said Wednesday was the first time she had been to the fair in a number of years.

Terri Skinner, of Parkersburg, said she has been to the fair over the years but not every year. This year she was there because her granddaughter was showing the hog she raised for the fair.

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
Austin Reeves, left, tosses a football to Zach Parsons, right, in front of the West Virginia National Guard exhibit at the 46th annual West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition.

“So far it’s been a good fair,” Skinner said. “It’s been enjoyable.”

Her granddaughter Lilly, a member of the Rebels 4-H Club, said this was her first year showing at the fair.

“I plan to do it again next year,” she said. “I’d like to show a pig and a cow.”

Photo by Jeffrey Saulton
Looking over scrapbooks in the CEOS exhibition area of the 46th annual West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition on Wednesday are Lilly Barker, Addison Garrett, Chelsea Evans and Brynton Barker.